She blinked, rubbing her eyes as she realized they had slid closed when she wasn't paying attention. The oddest feeling of not being alone was the next thing to register in her sleepy mind, and she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder.

The fact of someone standing right outside her window was enough to startle her, even as recognition set in a moment later. "Saryn!" she scolded, scrambling across her bed to kneel in front of the window. "How long have you been there?"

"Not long," he answered, leaning his arms on the windowsill and gazing back at her. "But you looked so peaceful that I couldn't wake you up."

She rolled her eyes, though his fond regard made her feel warm inside. "And if I didn't wake up? Were you just going to stand there all night?"

He shook his head, resting his chin on his arms as he smiled at her. "I came very close to teleporting in to kiss you awake, but people kept walking by. I was only waiting for the road to quiet."

"On a Friday night?" she asked wryly. "You'd have been here for a while."

He shrugged a little. "You underestimate your beauty." She blushed, and his smile widened. "May I come in now?"

She put her arms on the windowsill and leaned forward, imitating him. "I don't know. What's in it for me?" she teased.

He didn't hesitate. "I guess you'll never know if you don't let me in, will you."

She giggled at the challenge in his tone. "Guess not." She turned away and slid off the edge of her bed, realizing suddenly that he hadn't commented in the rearrangement of her furniture. Her furniture... and Jean's. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but now she wasn't sure how to bring it up.

She pulled her door open and stepped out into the hallway, somewhat distracted, until Dan's voice yelled to her to get out of the way. She looked up, startled, and saw him waving at her from the other end of the hall. "It's going to hit your feet!"

She jumped back, scanning the floor for whatever he was talking about. A marble was rolling toward her, weaving uncertainly before finally coming to rest a few feet past her door. "What are you doing?" she demanded, walking over to the marble.

"Don't touch it!" Calvin shouted. "How far did it go?"

She studied the object, bemused. What she had at first assumed was a marble was actually a Skittle, one of many, in fact, littering the floor at this end of the hall. "What do you mean, how far did it go? It's right here."

"Yeah, but did it go farther than mine?" Calvin wanted to know.

She surveyed the carpet. "Which one's yours?"

"The green ones!"

She tried not to giggle. "The farthest green one is down there. What are you *doing*?"

"We're having a Skittles-throwing competition," Dan said, as though it should have been obvious. "Want to play?"

"Can't," she said, treading carefully toward the other end of the hall. "But thanks."

"Hey, get back behind the line!" she heard Dan tell Calvin, and she grinned to herself. Leave it to them to find another non-alcoholic way to spend Friday night. Last year they had "borrowed" the two rolling chairs from the Hall Director's office and played bumper cars until the RA accused them of hall sports and made them stop.

Saryn met her coming around the corner, and she blinked up at him. "How did you get in?"

"Could you get out of the doorway?" a familiar voice demanded. "Some of us are trying to enjoy our constitutional right to walk where we want, you know."

Cassie sighed, stepping out of the way. "Thanks for letting him in, Phil."

Phil pushed past Saryn with an offhanded, "Whatever."

"Get out of the way!" Dan yelled, obviously impatient with the way they were holding up his contest.

"Shut up!" Phil shouted back.

Dan threw a Skittle at him, and Phil picked one up off the floor and hurled it back.

"Hey!" Calvin exclaimed. "That's an official record you just screwed up!"

Phil vanished into his room without replying.

Cassie shook her head, opening her own door and holding it as Saryn stepped through. She pushed it shut behind him, and held her breath as he looked around. The room wasn't quite as he'd last seen it.

Finally he gave her an amused look. "Redecorating?"

"I meant to ask you," she said quickly. "I know it's kind of weird, and I didn't mean anything by it--"

"No?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well..." She tried not to blush. "It's just I know I'm kind of a restless sleeper, and it's not that I expect you to be here all the time but I thought maybe when you were..."

She trailed off again, and he caught her eye. "As much as I approve, I have no wish to crowd your living space. Are you sure this is not an imposition?"

She glanced around the room. Two single beds occupied side by side space by the window, and her bureau had switched places with her desk. The refrigerator and old TV given to her by the Hammonds sat near the other end of the bed. "I think it's more open this way," she said, and he gave her a reproachful look. "I'm serious! It gives me more room by the windows. I like it."

He didn't look convinced, but she was willing to bet he also didn't want to argue. He didn't move much in his sleep, but she knew she did, and her bed alone really wasn't big enough for both of them. "It isn't an imposition," she said firmly. "I like it this way. I just didn't want you to be uncomfortable."

He smiled a little, and she realized that didn't have to be taken the way she had meant it. But all he said was, "Where did you get another bed?"

She shrugged. "Jean didn't want hers. She brought a futon with her, and if she didn't find something to do with the bed the school gave her she would have had to pay for it to be put in storage. So I offered to keep it for her for the semester."

He reached out and touched her face lightly. "That was very kind of you."

"Well, I didn't do it for her," she said with a grin.

"I know." He took a step closer, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "Thank you."

"Welcome," she murmured. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he answered softly, kissing her again. "More than you know."

She wanted to ask how he was, how things had gone, whether they were leaving now or not... but somehow those thoughts faded away as his arms went around her and he pulled her closer to him. She let him kiss her, let his warmth soothe away the stress of the first few days of class and the annoyance of having to explain to every third person she saw why she wasn't wearing an engagement ring anymore.

He paused a moment later, not pulling away, and his breath whispered across her skin. "Do you like camping?"

She tried to stifle a giggle and failed. "That was so random," she whispered.

"Maybe I'm trying to distract myself," he said, eyes full of amusement as he gazed back at her from only inches away. "So do you?"

"Yes," she answered, smiling. "I love it."

"Good," he answered, sounding satisfied. "Tomorrow night we will go camping."

"Where?" she inquired, delighted that he had been planning the trip already.

"You'll see," he told her. "Are we leaving tonight, or waiting until tomorrow?"

His eyes caught the light from overhead and she watched the blue sparkle at her with a kind of dreamy fascination that she found herself caught up in. It was flattering to be so completely the center of his attention, and she tried to suppress her sudden misgivings about visiting Elisia. Would it be the same there? Or would she become just one of a crowd?

"Cassie?" he prompted. "Do you wish to leave tonight?"

"Yeah," she said quickly, smiling at him. "I'm ready."

He let out a small sigh. "I suppose that means I have to let you go now."

She giggled. "I guess so. Don't go too far."

He didn't move. "Is this too far?" he asked after a moment.

"Yes," she murmured, sliding her hand around behind his head and stealing another kiss. He wasn't hard to convince, and he didn't let her go when the kiss ended. His lips pressed against hers again, and she could feel his restraint slipping. He wanted her, and after those years without him it felt so good...

"We won't--" His lips brushed against hers again, and she told herself to listen. But it was hard when he kept interrupting himself to kiss her. "We won't get to Elisia like this," he said huskily, kissing her forehead as though that would somehow be less distracting.

"I know," she admitted, sighing. She forced herself to pull away from him, taking a step toward her bed to grab her backpack off the floor.

"Do you have something warm to wear?" he asked.

She glanced over her shoulder at him, and his eyes snapped up to meet hers guiltily. She tried not to grin at his sudden shyness, but she couldn't keep a smile from spreading across her face. "Why?"

"You said you wanted to see the stars," he reminded her, keeping his eyes fixed on hers. "It is likely to be chilly tonight."

"Saryn, you think eighty degrees is chilly," she teased, but she went over to the closet anyway.

"I realize our definitions vary," he agreed, turning to follow her movement. "It will be chilly to you, I think. To me it will be cold."

She laughed, tying her windbreaker around her waist. "I'll keep you warm," she promised, and he smiled. She went to the door to flip the lock into place and turn out the lights. "Okay. Now I'm ready."

The streetlights outside cast their eerie orange glow into the room, and she saw him hold out his hand to her in invitation. She took it gladly, and wasn't surprised to see the brilliant unfiltered light of the teleportation stream fill her vision.

***

The "stars" cascaded past on the viewscreen, the computer's feeble attempt to recreate what hyperspace might look like. It was a beautiful sight, no matter how lacking in accuracy, and there were times when he could lose himself in the fluid and symbolic grace of such a view.

Tonight was not one of those times. Not when there was someone at his side whose beauty so exceeded anything the computer could generate.

She slept now, and he didn't have the heart to wake her. Her initial curiosity about his shuttle had been vast, ranging from questions about how it worked to what had happened to his starfighter. But once he had answered every question she could think of, and then some, she had leaned back in her chair and gazed silently "out" into space. He had ignored his own urge to talk when he recognized her exhaustion, and he let her dream as the shuttle slipped between the stars.

As his home planet came within range at last, he let the shuttle fall out of hyperrush, coasting into the system at something that still significantly exceeded lightspeed. With few reference points it seemed agonizingly slow, but at last Elisia appeared on the screen's maximum magnification, a steadily widening sparkle of light that grew into a dusty marble in no time at all.

The ambassadorial shuttle snuck through the atmosphere with barely a tremor, and Cassie continued to sleep as it touched down behind the stone compound he called home. Though the sun had been on them for most of the descent, it vanished just before they reached the planet's surface. Sunset had been only moments ago, then. Most people would be inside, enjoying the evening meal as the stiflingly hot temperatures of the day relaxed a little with the onset of dusk.

He didn't want to wake Cassie, but she stirred as he lifted her out of her chair and her eyes fluttered open. "Hey," she murmured, not seeming particularly surprised to find herself in his arms. "Are we there?"

"Yes," he said softly. "Go back to sleep."

"Yeah, right," she mumbled, pushing half-heartedly against his chest. "Put me down."

He shook his head, about to refuse, but she was impossible to hold when she set her mind to escaping. Unwilling to risk hurting her, he let her slither free, catching her arm to steady her as her feet touched the deck. "I am sorry I woke you," he offered, picking up her bag before she could do it herself.

"I'm not," she protested, rubbing some of the drowsiness from her eyes. "I'm sorry I fell asleep! I wanted to talk to you..."

"About what?" he asked, diverted.

She shrugged. "Anything. I just wanted to be with you."

Touched, he lifted his hand from her arm to stroke her hair. "You are with me," he pointed out gently. "And I'm not going anywhere. We will have plenty of time to talk."

She smiled up at him as he swung her bag over his shoulder. He tapped the keypad by the access hatch, and most of the rear wall let go of its seals with a hiss and lowered itself carefully to the ground. He gestured to the impromptu ramp, and she gave him a delighted look.

She stepped lightly off the main shuttle deck, as though the ramp might collapse beneath her weight. When it didn't, she lifted her gaze--and stopped short.

He joined her on the ramp, feeling warmth creep back into him as the hot, fresh air washed over them. He watched her expression of wonder as she stared out toward the horizon, hoping she saw in it at least some small part of the beauty that always drew him back home.

It wasn't Earth, and even the most intensive terraforming would never make the best parts of Elisia into more than a marginally habitable desert. But there was freedom in the burning sand and shifting hills, and the unending plains were the closest he had ever been to infinity on the surface of a planet.

"This is amazing," Cassie whispered, turning slowly to stare all around them. "Is it all like this?"

"Is all of your world like Angel Grove?" he asked, amused by the question but gratified by her awed reaction.

She gave him a wry look, her eyes sliding past him even when she tried to refocus her gaze. "I meant the habitable parts."

He shook his head. "Not everywhere. There are places here that are greener than your California, though they are few and small."

"Oases?" she guessed, and he smiled in acknowledgement.

He stepped off the edge of the ramp and held out his hand to help her. She tore her gaze away from the horizon and smiled back at him, taking his hand and hopping down. The ramp lifted up behind them, becoming part of the shuttle's hull once more, and he led her around the other side.

He heard her quiet gasp at her first sight of the compound, its sharp stone silhouette hunkered low against a horizon dyed red and gold with sunset. He smiled fondly, glad to be back and pleased that the place where he lived had made such a good first impression. "You approve?" he asked quietly.

She squeezed his hand and gave him a quick look before her eyes were drawn back to the sprawling structure in front of them. "Wow," she breathed at last. "I *so* approve. This is incredible, Saryn."

"Come inside," he urged. "You'll find my place of residence is somewhat larger than yours, I think."

She laughed, but she let him pull her toward the exterior of the compound. "A closet would be bigger than my room. How many people live here?"

"Just the Rangers," he replied, pausing outside the entrance to his own private dwelling. Punching in the appropriate code, he added, "And some of their family, of course."

"Of course," she murmured, sounding amused as she watched as him clear the lock code from the door's keypad and try again. "Having a little trouble?"

"The lock is somewhat temperamental." He tried again, and it let out a high-pitched beep. He sighed in exasperation and reached for his ruby. Placing it over the keypad, he hit the emergency override and the lock clicked open obediently. The door swung open when he pushed it, and he reached inside to touch the lightpad before gesturing to her. "After you."

She walked through with some hesitance, clearly not sure what to expect. He followed, closing the door quietly behind them. He watched her look around, running her left hand along the counter as she took a few tentative steps forward. He set her bag down in one of the chairs by the back door, not taking his eyes off of her.

Drawn by his movement, she glanced at him briefly before letting her eyes slide along the near wall. They flickered across the main door, then out into the living area on the other side of the counter. He moved a little closer, looking over her shoulder as she stared, and she took a single step back to lean against him. "This is so pretty," she murmured, not looking up at him. "This whole place is so... open."

"Mirine and I fought over it," he said with a smile. He slid his arms around her waist and was rewarded by her head on his shoulder. "This part of the compound is the first to see sunrise, and she said I wouldn't appreciate it."

"Who's Mirine?" she asked, twisting her head a little so that she gave the impression of looking at him without turning all the way around.

"The Pink Ranger," he replied, kissing her hair softly. "My sister."

He felt her stiffen in surprise. "You have a sister?"

He nodded, though he knew she couldn't see it. "She often helped our old team. She sent the distress call to Eltare when Elisia was first attacked, and she took Jenna's place after--afterward." He tried to ignore the stammer, but he felt her fingers squeeze his reassuringly. "She has been the Pink Elisian Ranger ever since."

Cassie didn't answer right away. "Do I get to meet her?" she asked at last.

He smiled, kissing her hair again. "She would like that, I think," he murmured.

As blissful as the feel of her in his arms was, he wasn't oblivious to her indrawn breath. "You're yawning," he told her, resting his head against the top of hers. "You should sleep first."

"Uh-uh." She started to shake her head, then stopped when he didn't move. "You said we were going to see the stars."

"We will see them tomorrow night," he began, but this time she did shake her head.

"Tonight," she insisted, turning a little as he lifted his head. "I don't want to sleep yet. I refuse."

He looked at her in surprise, and her lips twitched. "Well, I do," she informed him. "I refuse to fall asleep, so let's go outside. Please?" she added, almost as an afterthought.

His heart melted with that single word, and he sighed. "You aren't going to do that to me all weekend, are you?"

"Would you mind if I did?" she asked, grinning up at him.

The look in her eyes was an invitation he couldn't resist, and he kissed her gently. "No," he whispered, lifting one hand to her hair and kissing her again.

"Good," she murmured, when he finally let her go. "So should I change? How far are we going?"

"Not far," he answered, letting his hand slide down her arm. "But I would change. It cools off quickly here."

"'Kay," she said, giving him another quick kiss before pulling away. She rescued her bag from the chair, and he waited for her to look up again before cocking his head to invite her to follow.

She smiled, trailing after him as he walked around the counter. He led the way across the open living area, and saw her glance out the corner windows. "It got dark really quickly," she remarked.

"No trees," he said. "Dusk doesn't last long."

He pushed open the door to the bedroom, and she laughed as she looked inside. "You sleep in a hammock!"

"I don't!" he exclaimed, responding more to the teasing in her voice than anything. "You sleep on a table!"

She laughed again, shaking her head. "I have to try this out." She dropped her bag inside the door and looked at him hopefully. "Can I?"

He couldn't help but smile at her expression. "It seems only fair, when I've dreamed you there so often."

She didn't answer, but her smile brightened and she gave him a warm look. Then she bounced across the room, apparently with every intention of jumping on his bed. She came to an abrupt halt in front of it, though, and reached out to give it a push. The heavy netting shifted only a little, anchored as it was at several points along the wall.

She must have decided it was safe, for a moment later she climbed into it and threw herself down on the soft comforters. He sighed soundlessly, watching her dark hair spill across the pillows as she closed her eyes. She had no idea how often he had seen her there, just that way, in waking dreams that he had hated to leave when the real world intruded.

Then she blinked her eyes open, rubbing them carelessly and pushing herself into a sitting position. "Well, that's no good," she said with a grin. "I really will fall asleep, and then where will we be?"

"Still together," he said softly, walking over to her. "That's all that matters."

She smiled, moving over to make room for him. As he sat down, though, she turned her head toward the window. "You're big on windows here, aren't you."

Though it hadn't been a question, he nodded. "It keeps the air moving during the day."

She scrambled a little closer to the window, making the bed shift underneath them. "How do you--" She reached out her hand and blinked as it just kept going. "Do you ever close them?"

He leaned over her shoulder to point at a little electronic keypad set into the side of the window. "When it's cold at night, or when a storm comes through, you can use that to keep the outside out."

She pushed it experimentally. Nothing happened, and he smiled a little. Moving closer, he reached around her and traced a half-circle around the edge of the keypad. An almost inaudible hum sprang up as the transparent forcefield came into being. He touched the other side of the circle, and the window went opaque.

"Cool!" Cassie exclaimed, imitating him. The window didn't change, and he was about to say something when she tried it in reverse. It cleared again, revealing the well-lit courtyard at the heart of the compound, and with another touch the field fell away entirely. "That's neat," she decided, leaning forward to rest her arms on the windowsill. "So all the Rangers live here?"

He shifted so he was sitting beside her, putting one arm around her shoulders as he pointed out into the courtyard. "That's Mirine's place, beside us on the other end of this building. The building next to her is the common area; no one lives there.

"Kyril lives on our other side. He's the Blue Ranger. He and his brother share that building right there. Raine and Azmuth are the Green and Yellow Rangers, and they live together, in that building across from us."

"They live together?" she repeated, sounding surprised.

"Is that so strange?" he asked, letting his hand fall as his arm rested lightly on her shoulder. "I would live with you, were it possible."

She moved a little, so she was leaning on him more than the windowsill. "That's sweet of you," she whispered, still staring out at the courtyard.

"Is something wrong?" he wanted to know, wondering at her tone. He hugged her closer without thinking about it, as though he could keep her from slipping away just by holding on.

She shook her head quickly. "No, just..."

"Just what?" he prompted, when she didn't continue.

"Just... don't ask me, okay?" she said quietly. "Don't ask me to stay."

"I wouldn't," he protested. "You have every reason to be on Earth, and none to be here. I would never ask you to leave you world."

She looked up at him, and her smile was a little sad. "I didn't think you would. But see, if you did... I'm not sure what I'd say."

"Shh," he whispered, stroking her hair as best he could with his arm around her. "It doesn't matter. We don't have to be together all the time. I'm just glad to have you with me now."

She caught his free hand off the windowsill, turning it over in hers and studying it carefully. "I might say yes," she confessed, not meeting his gaze. "And I can't do that."

He swallowed, wishing she hadn't told him that. He didn't want to know that having her forever with him was as easy as asking. "I understand," he said, fingers twitching a little as she played with them. "I... I know that fear."

She looked up at that, her fingers stilling on his. "You'd have stayed on Earth?"

"I can't," he said wistfully, glancing out through the window. "Even as you can't stay here. But 'no' wouldn't be my first reaction... if you were to ask."

She sighed. "I know. I won't say it if you don't."

"All right," he agreed reluctantly.

She was silent a moment longer, until she looked up again. "Well, we're not going to spend the whole weekend being depressed! Let's not think about it anymore."

He tried to smile at her tone, but it must not have worked. She lifted her free hand to his cheek and whispered, "Don't be sad. It's silly to be upset when last weekend we hadn't even seen each other for years."

"Last weekend I didn't know what I was missing," he countered, but she was right. He was about to tell her so when he felt her lips on his, lingering with a sweetness that made everything worthwhile.

"I'll change," she murmured at last, breaking the gentle kiss.

As she drew away, though, he couldn't let it go at that. Catching her arm, he pressed his mouth to hers as soon as she looked back. He knew it was too serious, full of all the heat that hers had only hinted at, but as hard as he tried he couldn't ignore where they were. He didn't want to be alone in this bed again.

She put her hand on his arm and leaned into him, seeming to forget her intent to change as quickly as she had remembered it. He lost himself in her kiss, and her free arm crept around him as she relaxed into his embrace. He felt her soft hair fall across his hands, and before he realized it they were sinking back against the pillows.

He braced himself on his elbow, trying to remember her insistent desire to see the stars. "As much as I enjoy this," he murmured, running his fingers across her arm, "the longer we stay here, the colder it will get outside."

"You started it," she pointed out mildly, making no move to sit up. She kissed her fingers and then lifted them to his face, brushing his loose hair back. It was a futile effort, for his hair wasn't long enough to push over his shoulders, but it felt good.

"Don't do that," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her again.

"Or what?" she teased. She allowed his kiss, but as soon as he drew back she pushed herself up on one arm to put her level with him. "You'll kiss me? There's a threat..."

He was just quick enough to catch her hand as she reached for him again, determined to prove he was stronger than her smile. "You won't get to see your stars," he reminded her, unable to resist the temptation to kiss her fingers.

"You're wrong," she murmured, tugging gently on their clasped hands. "I can see all the stars I need from right here." Her mouth covered his and he closed his eyes, distantly aware of her fingers slipping out of his.

He knew what she was going to do before it happened, and he forced himself to let her go before he forgot his resolve entirely. Struggling to sit up, he tried to ignore her bare skin and warm expression. "We're going," he told her, more firmly than he had intended as he tried to keep his own conflicting emotions out of his tone.

To his relief, she only giggled and pushed herself up. "Going, right. Got it." She scrambled off the edge of the bed with more energy than someone who was as tired as she had looked earlier ought to have.

She unzipped her backpack and pulled out a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved blouse. She didn't look at him, possibly not even thinking about it as she pulled her shorts off and stepped into her jeans. But he couldn't help being disappointed when she pulled the blouse on over top of her t-shirt.

She stuffed her shorts back in her bag, and reached up to free her hair from underneath her collar as she turned to him. "Ready?" she asked innocently, snatching her jacket up off the floor.

"Here," he said, getting up to take her jacket and hold it for her.

She laughed, lifting her hair out of the way and sliding her arms into the sleeves one at a time. "Thanks." She turned and gave him a quick kiss, and he fumbled for her hand. Her fingers squeezed his, and he smiled as she pulled him toward the door.

***

He had been right about how quickly it would cool off. She had laughed when he brought a blanket with them, but now she was grateful for its warmth. The rocks behind them held a certain amount of residual heat, but the wind that raced over the sand cut through her clothes and dispelled that warmth as quickly as she could absorb it.

He had wrapped the blanket around their shoulders as soon as he saw her shiver, and she leaned against him contentedly. The thin material had a built-in wind resistance that served to keep the heat of their bodies close to them at the same time as it blocked the air's chill. She slid her arm through his, smiling at the comforting feel of his old quilted jacket on her cheek as she watched him point with his free hand.

She knew he was telling her some story about Elisia's north star, but she found she had stopped listening to his words long ago. She was far too tired to concentrate on sentences and explanations right now, so she just let his voice wash over her, nodding when it rose in question and admiring its effortless flow. He was used to painting pictures with words, it seemed.

She kept her face turned upward, but she let her eyes slide closed for just a moment. They were leaning back against one of the rocks, huddled together in the deepening twilight and somehow so isolated from everything else in the universe. Back when she was still listening he had pointed out where her galaxy would be, if they had been able to see it from here, and she found that the idea of all those uncountable light years between her and home appealed to her in some way.

*It's funny how easy it is to have perspective when everything is just little dots of lights in the sky,* she thought idly, letting her head rest more comfortably against his shoulder. Especially when they were invisible dots of light.

***

He thought he knew when she stopped listening, but he finished the story anyway. She would have said something if she wanted him to stop, and the words of the old legend were a welcome change from the speeches and maneuverings of the last couple days. It was one of the things he liked best about being with her--she made him feel normal again, as though who he was mattered instead of just what he stood for.

When he looked down he found her eyes closed, and he smiled to himself. She had wound her fingers through his while he was staring up at the sky, and her head rested trustingly against his shoulder. There couldn't truly be anything better in the universe.

He didn't know how long he might have stayed there if the wind hadn't picked up. It could get worse very quickly, and they were already at the limits of what he considered comfortable. Yet he hesitated to wake her up. She had been dozing off all evening, and he wasn't sure she was up to the walk back to the compound.

He shifted a little, wondering if he could get up without waking her. She murmured a little in protest when he moved, but her eyes didn't open. He smiled again, touched both by her reaction and her trust.

He wrapped the blanket around her and lifted her up carefully. Her weight in his arms convinced him that she was fully asleep, and he closed his eyes. His bedroom back at the compound sprang into sharp detail behind his eyelids, and he felt the air warm subtly.

As the wash of red light faded, he brushed the blanket away from her and let it fall to the floor. He laid her down on his bed, reaching over her to close the window and darken it a little. Glancing down at her as she moved, he saw her curl up, snuggling deeper into the pillows.

He hated to disturb her further, but she couldn't possibly be comfortable sleeping in that coat. He pulled her sneakers off first, shaking his head fondly at the thin pink designs embroidered on the sides. She might have given up her morpher, but the Power was still influencing her choice of clothes.

He put her shoes on the floor and sat down beside her, sliding one hand behind her head as he pulled her into his lap. It was never easy to take off a sleeping person's clothes, but she was as sound a sleeper as Mirine. She barely stirred as he tugged the jacket off over her shoulders.

He was sorely tempted to undress her the rest of the way--just for comfort's sake, his mind argued--but he had no illusions about what that would do to him. He held her a moment longer, just glad to have her there in his arms.

Finally, though, he threw one of the comforters back and eased her back onto the bed. She shifted again as he pulled the comforter up over her shoulders, and he heard her mumble something he couldn't make out. He stroked her hair gently, pleased when she quieted with his touch.

He left the bedroom then, taking the blanket and pulling the door most of the way shut behind him. He turned up the lights in the living area and stared around for a minute. It looked exactly the way it always looked; there was nothing to say that today was different from any other. Nothing except the knowledge that Cassie slept in the room behind him.

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling his lips twitch. He felt like he'd been smiling all day long, first in anticipation of seeing her, and then in the sheer delight of her presence. He supposed it was lucky he hadn't been around the others much, or they might have asked what it was that had him in such a good mood.

He should have told them, he supposed. He should have at least made some mention of her to his teammates, especially when he knew she wanted to meet them. It would be terribly awkward to have to explain who she was when he was introducing her, and he knew she wouldn't be pleased.

He almost called Mirine right then. Cassie was asleep, and it wasn't that late. He could get all the explanations out of the way now, and when it finally came time for introductions, it would seem to her that they had always known. They would be glad to meet her, and Cassie would be none the wiser.

Instead, he started to close the windows. He folded up the blanket they had taken stargazing and put it away. He took off his own jacket and hung it by the door, and checked a third time to make sure he had what he was planning on for breakfast.

He glanced into the bathroom too before he turned out the lights, but Cassie had seen it earlier and said nothing. He supposed he had Mirine to thank for that, for keeping it up to a girl's exacting standards of cleanliness. He wondered if she would want a shower in the morning--maybe not, once she found out where they were going, but he calibrated the water cyclers for it anyway.

He paused by the counter on his way back to the bedroom. The computer linkup stared accusingly back at him, still dark. He sighed, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Everything was so perfect just the way it was.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his communicator, gazing down at it uncertainly. Why couldn't he be selfish, just for tonight? Hadn't he earned it?

He dropped the communicator on the counter and headed for the bedroom.

***

She thought she had overslept, until the softness of the patterned white comforter and the pleasant smell of the pillow registered. This wasn't her bed, it was his, and she was light years from school right now. Filtered sunlight came in through the tinted windows, making odd shadows in the room as she struggled to sit up.

The bed shifted slightly underneath her, and she lifted one hand to rub her eyes. The room looked no clearer afterwards, but she did notice when the sleeve of her blouse brushed against her face. She couldn't remember falling asleep in her clothes...

Her windbreaker caught her eye, folded neatly on top of her backpack next to the door. Who folded a jacket? That would be his doing, she thought, and suddenly she remembered dozing off out in the desert the night before. She couldn't remember anything after that.

*Silly," she thought fondly, hugging the comforter around her shoulders despite the pleasant warmth of the room. He had probably teleported them both back here. Leave it to him not to wake her up.

She let herself fall back against the pillows, just for a moment. Just long enough to breathe in the smell of him, and to smile at his thoughtfulness. Pushing herself up at last, she tossed the edge of the comforter aside and climbed gingerly off the bed. It was more stable than it looked, but she couldn't help being careful.

Brushing her hair out of her face as she stood, she briefly considered trying to make herself presentable before she showed her face outside the bedroom. It seemed like too much trouble, and she wanted to see him so much more than she wanted to change her clothes or brush her hair--but what if he had company? It sounded quiet, but she could just see herself walking out of the room and right into a breakfast club.

That convinced her, and she changed into her shorts and a fresh t-shirt as quickly as she could. The bathroom had two doors, so that it was accessible from both the front room and the bedroom, but as she splashed water on her face at the sink she couldn't bring herself to just walk out through the other door. Instead she went back through the bedroom, dropping her hairbrush into her backpack on the way.

The door was slightly ajar, and as she pulled it the rest of the way open, she couldn't help blinking. The sun, easily visible through the corner windows, was only just over the horizon, but it filled the entire place without a light several times brighter than that of the bedroom. The air was warmer out here, too, and the slight breeze that stirred around her ankles told her that the windows were all wide open.

"Saryn?" she asked hesitantly, making a face at the feel of sand on the cool stone floor. She should have put her sandals on.

"Out here," his voice answered, and she stepped around the corner.

He was standing at the counter, where it turned from extending out into the room to run underneath the windows a short way, but he glanced over his shoulder to smile warmly at her. "Good morning," he offered, motioning to her to join him. "I'm afraid breakfast isn't quite ready yet."

"You cook?" she asked incredulously, going over to stand beside him. "Of course," she added, looking over his shoulder. "You would."

"I think I'll take that as a compliment," he said lightly, and she smiled.

"Do," she agreed. "I'm sorry about last night; I didn't realize I was so sleepy--"

"Don't apologize," he told her, waving a spoon at her threateningly. "Next time my stories are so boring, just tell me."

"No! It wasn't--"

Her exclamation was cut off by his sudden grin, and he reached out with his free hand to pull her close. "I was only kidding," he murmured, and then his mouth was on hers with a slow, lingering sweetness that made her catch her breath.

She stared at him as he drew away, then remembered herself enough to smile. "I can't believe you sometimes," she said, putting her hands behind her on the counter.

He gave her an amused look, stirring whatever he had over what had to be his version of a stove. "In a good way, or a bad way?"

"Oh, good," she assured him, her eyes wandering as she leaned back a little. He wore a bright red t-shirt, hanging loose over shorts that looked sandy somehow, as though he had already been outside this morning. Even stranger, he was barefoot, and looked perfectly at home here in, well, his home. She had never really thought about him having a home, back when she was in high school, though she'd thought of it often enough since and wondered what such a place could be like.

Back then, though, it was all about his place in *her* life, not the other way around. She had known so little about him, it had seemed only logical to think that he was isolated from the normal everyday aspects of life. At least, logical to a teenager who hadn't given much thought to anything but what she wanted.

Was that why she had waited after the war, instead of going to him? Because the news broadcasts had scared her with the realization that there was more to him than just the faceless hero she thought she knew?

"What is it?" he asked gently, reaching out to stroke her hair. His fingers caught in the tangles she had only half-heartedly tried to comb out, and he smiled. "Let me brush your hair."

She let out her breath in a laugh. "*That's* it. That's what I was thinking about. How can you be so--you?"

He cocked his head, almost as though he was considering it. "I think it's something I was born with," he said at last, in all seriousness, and she giggled.

"You must have been," she agreed with a grin. "I just can't believe how lucky I am to know you. To really *know* you, and to love you so much anyway."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that. Once I puzzle out what you said, then I'll let you know what I think."

She giggled again, reaching out to run her fingers over his arm. "I just mean... I've loved you for so long. But I only got to know you in the last few days. How could I have known you'd be more perfect than my dream of you was?"

He smiled, and she saw comprehension in his eyes. "We have a word for that, you know," he told her. "It's called fate."

She sighed, knowing that was the only answer either of them could have given to the strangeness of their meeting. "I didn't used to believe in fate," she confessed.

He only shrugged, glancing back at the stove. "I spent a great deal of my life trying to rebel against fate. But it isn't something to be fought." He caught her eye, gesturing with the spoon. "You're proof enough of that."

She tried not to blush, and he added, "The universe doesn't dictate our lives, it only responds to our expectations. It took me a long time to realize that fate is the universe's way of helping us, not controlling us."

She thought about that for a moment, watching him do something to the stove that made the flame go out. He bent down to retrieve something from the cupboards under the counter, and she smiled to see him carelessly brush his hair out of his face. "I like this kind of help," she remarked.

He turned, flashing his smile at her again. "Me too."

***

The sun glinted on her hair as she sat by the windows after breakfast, and he set her brush down on the windowsill. Gathering her dark hair over her shoulders, he watched it spill down her back and flow across his fingers.

"You cut your hair," he accused, suddenly remembering what he had wanted to say to her years ago.

She turned her head a little, giving him a startled look. "No I didn't."

"You did," he insisted. "I saw you on IN after the war. Your hair was shorter."

She frowned a little. "After the war..."

He ran his fingers through her hair as she tried to remember. The ride across the desert would only tangle it again, and far worse than sleeping had done. He almost said something when she exclaimed, "Oh! Yeah, a little before the energy wave. Ashley made me come so she had an excuse to bring Andros."

"Why?" he asked, combing her hair farther back.

She shrugged. "She wanted him to trim his hair, and I figured it would help mine grow out faster. I only cut it a couple of inches; I can't believe you noticed."

He lifted her hair away from her neck and leaned forward to kiss her lightly. "I had nothing of you but my memories and what I saw on the news," he murmured. "I couldn't help but compare the two."

She turned her head a little, but he couldn't see her expression this time. The smile was in her voice when she spoke. "What about you? Is your hair always like this?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with it?"

She let out an amused breath. "Why so defensive?"

He shook his head at himself. "Sorry. Raine cuts everyone's hair for them, but I find... I don't enjoy it. I--" He couldn't explain it, so he shrugged. "I just don't like having my hair cut. So it tends to grow somewhat longer than she would like."

"It's your hair," Cassie pointed out. "You can do whatever you want."

"I haven't actually said anything to her about it," he admitted, letting her hair settle back against her t-shirt. "I'm afraid she thinks I'm being difficult for the fun of it."

She turned all the way around then, giving him an odd look. "Then why don't you just tell her?"

He sighed. "What am I supposed to say? 'Don't cut my hair; I don't like it'?"

"That would be a start," she agreed, smiling. "Is that so hard?"

"It seems silly," he muttered. "Everyone else lets her do it."

She actually laughed at him. "I can't believe you just said that, Saryn. Since when has that been a good reason for doing something?"

He knew she was right, and somehow that only made him more defensive. Before he could say anything, though, she reached out and touched his face gently. "I'm sorry," she said, searching his expression. "I didn't mean to sound--mean. Your hair's just so cute the way it is; why would anyone pressure you to cut it?"

He smiled reluctantly, and she brushed his hair back along his forehead. "You're not as tough as everyone thinks you are, you know," she said fondly.

He sighed again. "I know. You found me out; I'm afraid of having my hair cut. Don't let it get out--it could ruin me for the rest of my political career."

She giggled. "That means I'd get to spend more time with you, right?"

"Turn around and let me braid your hair," he told her sternly, "and I'll forget you said that."

She grinned at him. "Oh, now you braid, too?"

"You'll understand when you see Mirine," he informed her. "Now turn around. You don't want your hair loose when you're riding a jetcycle, I promise you."

She turned around obediently, but a moment later she asked, "So when do I get to meet Mirine? Is she around today?"

"Yes," he admitted, glancing over at the counter. His communicator still lay where he had left it the night before. "But we won't be. It's dangerous to be out in the desert during midday, so if we want to see the oasis before evening we'll have to leave soon."

"How far is it?" she asked, apparently diverted.

He separated her hair at the base of her neck, laying one strand over the other as he wove them together, careful not to make it too tight. "Maybe three hundred kilometers. It's out past the terraformed border, but it will be..." He tried quickly to work out the conversion in his head. "A little less than an hour, I think, by jetcycle."

"Long trip," she mused.

"It's worth it," he promised, shifting backwards a little as the braid wound its way farther down her hair. "Do you have one of those--scrunchies?"

She swung one leg off the sofa and reached into her pocket, passing him a piece of woven pink elastic cloth. "Is that where we're camping tonight?" she wanted to know.

He nodded. "If you like it, yes. It's a beautiful place to spend the night."

"I'm sure I'll like it," she said, twisting her head experimentally as he wrapped the scrunchy around her braid. "Are we leaving now? Or do I get to brush your hair?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said quickly, getting to his feet and holding his hand out to her.

She took it, grinning up at him. "It was just a suggestion. Afraid we'd have to wait until the afternoon to go?"

"I'm afraid we wouldn't get there at all," he admitted.

***

"Saddlebags!"

He settled the double backpack into place over the back of the jetcycle, giving her an odd look when he was convinced it was solid. "What?"

She laughed, though whether at his confusion or her own randomness, she wasn't sure. "The bags you put over the back of a horse. That's what those look like, but I don't know what they're called on a bike."

He pulled a strap tight over the top of the bags, silent for a moment as he tried to puzzle that out. At last, he looked up and shook his head at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, we have these animals called horses on Earth," she tried to explain. "And some of them let you ride them, and they'll carry your stuff in saddlebags. So saddlebags were such a good idea that bikers adopted them, only they called them something different. Motorbikes, I mean," she added, when she saw his confused expression. "They're like jetcycles."

He pulled the second strap tight and straightened up, giving her a measured look. "There's no reason to be nervous, you know."

She blinked, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm not nervous. Why do you think I'm nervous?"

"The way you're talking," he said, coming around the jetcycle to stand in front of her. "You sound different."

She sighed. "I'm talking too much, aren't I. I'm babbling."

"I would not have put it that way," he protested, then broke off when she gave him a wry look. "Maybe a little," he agreed.

She shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. "A friend of mine was in a motorcycle accident. She was just on her way home from band practice, and the next day she was on crutches. For months. She still has the scars."

"We don't have to go," he said softly, studying her face. "I would never ask you to do something you weren't comfortable with."

"I want to!" She unfolded her arms and shrugged again, hooking her thumbs into her pockets. "I'm just--nervous," she admitted, looking down at the sand.

He reached out to touch her chin, tilting her head up. "I would never let anything happen to you. I promise, Cassie."

His sincere blue eyes caught hers and held them, and she found herself nodding. "I know," she said. "Ready when you are."

He smiled at her, but as he turned back to the jetcycle she thought of something else. "You don't happen to have any sunscreen, do you?" They were inside a protected garage-like area--really just an indentation in the exterior of the building that had been walled off, she thought--but the sun outside was intense, especially in light of an hour-long open-air ride.

"Sunscreen?" he repeated, giving every indication of puzzlement.

"You know, to protect yourself from the sun," she said. "From UV rad--ultraviolet light."

He gave her what looked like a genuinely horrified look. "Ultraviolet light is a mutagen. None of it gets through our atmosphere."

She sighed, relieved, and he looked at her more closely. "Earth's atmosphere doesn't block it out?"

"Most of it," she admitted. "Not all."

He shook his head. "Elisia wouldn't have been chosen for terraforming if the atmosphere admitted the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. At least not by Eltarans."

She shrugged. "We didn't choose Earth," she told him wryly. "But we like it anyway."

"I wasn't criticizing," he said hastily. "I was only surprised to hear you say it."

She smiled, charmed by his efforts not to offend her. "I know; I was just... well, maybe everyone's a little defensive about their home."

"Your planet is beautiful," he told her, looking every bit as sincere as he sounded. "I only hope you may come to think the same of mine."

"I already do," she said, surprised he didn't know. "I love Elisia."

He smiled back at her, then surprised her by going up to the second jetcycle in the garage and pulling the helmet off its handlebars. "Mirine won't be going riding today, I think," he said conversationally.

As he settled the helmet on her head, she gave him a worried look. "Are you sure she won't mind? Maybe you should ask..."

"She's my sister," he said firmly, adjusting the transparent visor until it covered her eyes. "She's not allowed to mind."

As he put on his own helmet, she heard a quiet click in her ear, and she frowned. Then her eyes widened as he said, "Can you hear me?" His voice seemed to come from right in front of her and right behind at the same time.

"Yes," she said, putting her hand to the side of the helmet automatically. "It is doing that?"

He nodded, reaching out to adjust something on her helmet. "Is that better?"

Now it sounded as though he was speaking in her ear, and she couldn't keep a smile off her face. "Yeah, that's perfect."

"It will let us talk during the ride," he explained. "If you get cold, or thirsty, or anything else, let me know. We are not so late that we can't afford to stop on the way."

*Cold?* she thought, wondering if he was serious. He had given her one of his extra pairs of windpants, and she wore her own windbreaker over her t-shirt. She was hot just standing in the cool shade of the garage. "I will," she promised anyway.

"Then let's go," he said, giving the jetcycle a push. It moved surprisingly easily for something that looked so heavy, and she pulled the massive garage door shut behind them as he wheeled it out into the sun.

He swung one leg over the seat with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times before, and he cocked his head at her. "Ready?"

***

The wind raced past them, roaring louder in his ears than the sound of the jetcycle's engine. The front of the jetcycle and the windshield deflected enough of it that it wasn't dangerously cold or biting, but the wind's strength was unmistakable. Cassie's soft warmth, pressed against his back, was a strange counterpoint to the harshness of the swiftly moving air, and he found he liked her occasional comments and inescapable presence.

It was an odd feeling to ride double again after all these years. It was even odder to know that he found this better than the isolated freedom he had so enjoyed only the week before on this same trip. This then, was what it was like not only to love, but to finally know that that love was returned--to know with absolute certainty that nothing one did alone could compare to something done with another.

"Is that the oasis?" Cassie's voice said in his ear.

"That's it," he said, letting their speed fall off slowly as they drew closer to the expanding island of vegetation. The jetcycle was coasting by the time they got close enough to pick out individual trees, and finally he had to apply the brakes as the edge of their destination stretched out in either direction.

"It's big," Cassie said, sounding surprised.

"You can walk around the entire thing in a day," he answered, feeling the wheels slip a little on the dry desert grass at the edge of the oasis. He slowed the jetcycle further, not wanting to alarm her. "It isn't the largest by far, but the Rangers have traditionally laid claim to it."

"Just you?" she wanted to know, shifting as she tried to peer further over his shoulder.

He shook his head. "Not by any rule. Just... because it's always been that way."

"Is this your path?" she asked a moment later. The track was becoming more apparent as the grass and scrub gave way to more definitive brush.

"It was already here when I became a Ranger," he said, slowing the jetcycle further to maneuver through the increasing vegetation. "I never thought to ask whether my teammates had made it themselves or inherited it."

The edge sprang up around them, and he brought the jetcycle to a halt so they could look back the way they'd come. The understory would be clearer further in, but here where the brush blended into a veritable forest, it was dense enough to filter sunlight and make the path they'd followed the only clear view back out.

"Wow," Cassie breathed, and it was odd to hear her words aloud as well as through the transmitter's circuit. "This is so beautiful."

He smiled. "Wait until you see the river."

"There's a river?" she exclaimed.

"The water has to come from somewhere," he said, unable to resist the chance to tease her a little. "Did you think it just fell from the sky?"

"Like rain?" she retorted. "Imagine that!"

"We only get rain here once a year," he reminded her, turning back toward the track in front of them. "It's a big event when it happens. Ready to go?"

Her arms wrapped around his waist again, her hands sliding into his pockets to protect them from the wind. He could feel her when she nodded. "Ready."

The jetcycle jumped forward, as though eager to move again, and they followed the track until it faded into the lush green grass of the riverside clearing. Here, faint trails and slightly matted circles were the only evidence of the Rangers' comings and goings. The fresh grass held impressions for a far shorter period of time than the dry stalks that had surrounded the edge of the oasis, and they tried to tread as evenly as they could on it.

He deliberately didn't follow any of those faint paths, so as to avoid forming any permanent scars in the grass. Instead he took them toward the river across seemingly untouched grass, bringing the jetcycle to a halt a safe distance away from the sometimes unstable banking.

Cassie didn't move, even after the engine powered down, and he turned his head a little. "You all right?" he asked softly.

He could feel her nod, and she added, "I'm just in awe. I went from Elisia directly to awe. Just give me a minute to find my way back."

He chuckled, and tugged his gloves off of his hands. Shoving them into his now empty pockets, he reached up and unfastened his helmet, and a moment later he heard her doing the same thing. He shook his hair out, and felt her shift a little. Then her hands were on his shoulders, and he heard her giggle. "Okay, now that my balance is totally screwed, I have to stand up. That's good."

"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. He twisted around and found her sliding off the back of the seat, a little awkwardly and amid a rustle of windblocking fabric.

"I'm fine," she assured him, gripping his shoulder more firmly as she got both feet back on the ground. "Maybe just a little stiff. I'm not used to riding like that, I guess."

He swung off the jetcycle easily, seeing her make a face at him as he did so. He shrugged, running a hand through his hair as he set his helmet on one of the handlebars. "You get used to it. I never get tired of jetcycles."

"Oh, I loved it!" She held her helmet until he took it from her, then rubbed her hands together fiercely. "Except that my fingers are freezing. But that was so cool!"

"You should have told me," he chided, reaching for her hands and wrapping them in his.

She laughed. "That won't do any good. Yours are freezing too."

He lifted her hands to his mouth and blew gently on them. She shivered as he continued to breathe on her warm fingers, and finally she admitted, "Okay, that did help. I take it back." So saying, she slipped her hands out of his grip and wrapped them around *his* hands, rubbing them back and forth.

"Thanks." He smiled at her, and she leaned over their clasped hands to kiss him.

"When you said 'cold', I thought you were joking," she told him. "But it feels so good to be warm again."

"You might not be yet," he warned her, tugging her hands gently out of her grasp. "But the air should warm you up quickly."

"And you!" she said, laying her hand against his cheek. "You feel cold too."

"Me too," he agreed ruefully. "The wind gets to you after a while. You have to be careful on long trips, even when the sun is high."

She shook her head. "Who knew there were so many ways to be cold in the middle of the desert? Don't answer that," she added, almost as an afterthought.

He only smiled. "So can I show you around? It'll warm us up--even though that may not seem like a good thing in a little while."

She laughed. "Well, that's what the river's there for, I guess. We can always swim when it gets really hot."

"You know how to swim?" he asked, mildly surprised. Then he shook his head. "Of course you do; you live near an ocean."

She looked at him quickly. "You don't? Swim, I mean?"

He shrugged. "Kyril can, and a girl on my old team could. But I never learned."

"I could teach you," she offered, a mischievous look in her eyes that he recognized but didn't fully understand. "As soon as we warm up some. It'd be fun."

***

The sun was hot even through the tree canopy, and the air of the oasis hung heavy and humid here by the river. When she held absolutely still and closed her eyes, she found she couldn't tell the difference between the air and the water. She moved her feet a little, feeling the water swirl gently around her ankles, and she smiled to herself.

Careful footsteps on the sun-warmed rock marked Saryn's return, and she didn't move when he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Boo."

"You scared me," she murmured contentedly, not opening her eyes.

He chuckled, sitting down beside her. "Still in awe?" he teased.

She sighed, feeling her smile grow. "I like awe. It's a nice place. You should try it some time."

He slid his hand under her braid and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm in awe whenever I'm with you," he said softly.

She opened her eyes then, turning to look over at him. He smiled, tilting his head to kiss her gently. "There's no one luckier than I am," he whispered, emphasizing his words with another kiss. "When you're with me, I feel like nothing else matters."

"Yeah," she agreed, putting one hand on his shoulder to pull him closer. "That sounds like awe to me. It's pretty lucky we're in it together."

When she pressed her lips to his and felt his arms tighten around her, she wondered if maybe it was more like heaven than awe. But then he shifted, and she couldn't help giggling as he tried to make himself comfortable sitting sideways on their rock.

He let her draw back a little, giving her a wry look. "The girl always gets the comfortable position, have you noticed that?"

She laughed outright at that. "That's because--"

She stopped, abruptly realizing what she was about to say. It was an odd feeling, to realize just how secure she felt around him. She had been about to treat him as much like her best friend as her lover, but there were some things she just couldn't say to anyone but Ashley.

"What?" he prompted, his eyes amused as he waited for her to finish her sentence.

"Nothing," she said quickly. She braced her hands against the rock and pushed herself forward, her bare feet splashing in the shallow water as she stood up. "The water's not as cold as I thought it would be."

"I think you've gotten the wrong idea about Elisia," he said wryly. "Believe it or not, most of the planet has a reputation for being quite hot."

"Just like you," she murmured under her breath, wading farther out into the river. She couldn't help blushing when he laughed, for she hadn't meant him to overhear that. It was so easy to be around him, and the oasis was so far away from everything... real, that she could almost feel her inhibitions melting away.

She heard a gentle splash from behind her, and she knew what she would see before she turned around. What she didn't expect was to see him pulling his shirt off over his head, tossing it on the banking before turning to wade toward her. "Oh, that wasn't fair," she whispered, unable to take her eyes off of him as he picked his way carefully through the shallow water.

He looked up as though he had heard her, and she swallowed. He smiled, shaking his head at her. "You couldn't have picked the nice sandy part to go wading in," he complained good-naturedly, as he caught up with her. "No, you had to go out on the rocks."

"You're the one who followed me," she pointed out, trying to look away from him but finding her gaze drawn irresistibly back. He radiated a sort of calmness, a sense of being at ease that she had never noticed in him before. It was as though this place was less a destination than an escape, more a place he came for himself than anything that was expected of him.

"True," he agreed, reaching out to take her hand as she turned away. "Are you testing me?"

She stopped, giving him a startled look. "What?"

"To see how far I'll follow you," he said. His tone was light, but his smile was gone, and she couldn't tell how serious he was being.

"I wasn't," she said uncertainly. She didn't know how to tell him that the surrealness of everything that was happening had suddenly spooked her. She was treating someone she had known for a week like a friend she had had for years. And it felt right.

"Doesn't matter," he told her quietly, stepping closer. He glanced down, making sure of his footing as the water eddied around their ankles, and when he lifted his head again his eyes were only inches from hers. "I'd follow you anywhere."

She tried to shift, to move onto more solid ground, but her foot slipped out from under her on the rocks. His hand tightened on hers and she felt his arm go around her, pulling her close and wrapping his other arm around her to hold her up. "To the ends of the universe, Cassie," he whispered in her ear. "Fate, remember? We're in this together."

She got her feet under her again, but she didn't let him go. "What happens if the end comes sooner than we think?" she wondered, not looking up at him.

"Then we'll face it together," he said firmly. "There's only one thing that could ever make me let you go now."

She swallowed, lifting her head to catch his eye. "What's that?"

"For you to tell me you don't love me," he said, staring steadily back at her.

For a single heartbeat she was frozen, unable to comprehend those words. Then she was hugging him, holding him as hard as she could against the heat of the day with her cheek pressed against his chest. "I will always, always love you, Saryn," she whispered. "Always, do you understand?"

"Then I'll always be with you," he answered simply.

She took a deep breath, trying to relax. His warm scent tickled her nose, and she turned her head a little, letting her forehead rest against his chest. She took another breath, glad of his arms around her. She smiled when she felt his kiss on the top of her head, and she tilted her head just enough to kiss his skin in return.

He tugged gently on her braid, and she kissed him again, still not lifting her head. "Not fair," he murmured, lifting one hand to run his fingers across her temple. "I can't do that to you."

"Shouldn't have taken your shirt off," she said, turning her face up to smile at him.

"Or maybe you're overdressed," he suggested softly, pulling her braid over her shoulder. Her scrunchy was missing, she realized, amused as she watched him idly brushing the end of the braid out of her hair.

"It's a guy thing," she told him, watching him continue to play with her hair. "It's really not fair that you can take your shirt off when it's hot out and I can't."

"There's no one else here," he pointed out, lifting his gaze from her braid to her eyes. He leaned slowly toward her, and just when she thought he was about to kiss her he turned his head to whisper, "I won't tell if you don't."

She tried not to giggle. "I can't. It would be weird."

"I can," he murmured, pressing a heated kiss to her lips. She closed her eyes, not even registering his words until his hands slid under her short t-shirt. She caught her breath, leaning into his kiss even as his hands ran up her sides toward her shoulders. Her skin tingled in the wake of his fingers, and she sighed in disappointment as he pulled away.

His hands slid across her arms as she lifted them up, and she let him tug her t-shirt off over her head. Opening her eyes again, she draped her arms over his shoulders and smiled smugly at him. "So what are you going to do with it now, smart guy?"

He linked his arms around her, doing something she couldn't see behind her back. "You underestimate me," he said, holding her shirt up in one hand.

She had to let go of him to turn and look, and she laughed. "What, were you a boy scout as a child?" Her t-shirt was rolled into a ball, twisted carefully enough that he might as well have tied a knot in it, and it stayed compact as he tossed it onto the banking. "If that has grass stains on it..." She let the threat trail off as she glanced back at him, not sure she would care with the way he was looking at her now.

"I'll wash it for you," he finished huskily, lifting one hand to her face. He stroked her skin gently, as though it was the most precious thing he could touch. She held her breath as he leaned closer, his eyes wandering across her face and finally coming to rest on her lips.

She closed her eyes as his mouth brushed lightly against hers. His second kiss was just as fleeting, and she sighed when he pulled away. His free hand touched her other cheek, cupping her face in both his hands, and she could feel his breath against her skin. He kissed her again, this time lingering over her mouth and teasing her lips with his tongue.

She tried not to lean into his kiss, but it was hard not to. He pressed back, still holding her face gently in his hands but kissing her with a strength belied by his soft touch. It reassured her to feel that insistence in him, made her more secure in the knowledge that the passion he inspired in her wasn't one-sided.

Unfortunately, the rocks lining the riverbed weren't conducive to standing still for long periods of time. As she tried to shift her weight, he slid one hand down her arm and smiled against her mouth. "Come with me," he whispered, letting his other hand fall and tugging her after him as he stepped away.

The rocks turned to sand farther downstream, and before she knew it the water that had been less than knee-deep was as halfway up her thighs. "Where are we going?" she wanted to know, watching him wade through the deeper water without concern.

He pulled her closer, tracing his fingers along her cheek and brushing a few escaped strands of hair away from her face. "Where would you follow *me*?" he murmured.

She reached up to catch his hand, twining her fingers through his. "Anywhere," she answered, tilting her head to lay it against their clasped hands.

He leaned down to kiss her, a slow kiss that warmed her all the way through. When he finally let her go, she wished he hadn't. "Over there." He pointed toward a cluster of boulders by the opposite shore, spilling out into the middle of the river so that they caught and held the calmer waters of a small pool.

She shook her head as he pulled her out of the current and into the relatively still water by the banking. The water was up to her waist, and she felt decidedly odd being towed through it by her determined lover with his sights set on something she couldn't see.

When they reached the rocks, though, he stepped up on a boulder that had to be entirely under the water and held out his free hand for hers. She took it and let him pull her up beside him. Hands in hers, he tilted his head to the side, indicating the large, flat rock beside them that rose only inches above the surface of the water. "It's the best spot on the river," he told her, stepping backwards up onto it.

"It's warm!" she exclaimed, pleasantly surprised as she followed him.

"It's good for sunbathing," he said with a smile, turning to look downstream. "And the view."

She followed his gaze and her eyes widened. The water dropped off on the other side of the rocks, naturally, but the riverbed seemed to as well. Water pouring between the rocks and rushing around the side splashed down in miniature waterfalls to rejoin the river's surface. The falling water threw just enough mist into the already humidity-laden air that it cast rainbows anywhere the sun touched it. "That's beautiful," she breathed, staring in wonder.

"Back in awe?" he suggested quietly.

She couldn't help giggling. "Definitely."

Distracted by the cascade of water, she was unprepared when his arms slid around her from behind. She caught her breath as he kissed her neck, and she tilted her head to one side instinctively. He took it as the invitation it was, and his mouth roamed gently across her skin, the gossamer touch of his long hair on her shoulders making her shiver.

When she tried to turn around, though, he put his hands on her arms and held her in place. She stilled, feeling his fingers on her hair a moment later as he started to comb out the rest of her braid. It didn't take her long to realize he was less than focused on the task, for his hands kept straying to stroke her shoulders, or her arms, or to trace some gentle pattern on her back. And for every other strand he unwound, it seemed, he had to kiss her again--not enough to satisfy, only enough to make her skin tingle and her blood warm a little bit more.

It was as exciting as it was maddening to force herself to stand still and let him do it, to feel his hands on her and not be able to touch him in return. With every bit he loosened from her braid, too, his hands were closer to her scalp, and it grew easier and easier to feel the movement of his fingers in her hair. She bit her lip, trying not to giggle at the thought that his hair fetish might be contagious.

Finally her hair was free, and she shook her head automatically, feeling her hair brush against his hands as he traced the line of her back down to her waist. She turned then, before he could stop her, and she laid her hands on his chest. She could see in his eyes what he expected her to do--he was waiting for her to run her fingers across his skin the way he had her, waiting to see if he could last longer under such a distraction than she had.

It was only fair, then, that she lean forward and kiss him instead. Her hands stayed still on his chest to keep the two of them apart, and she just brushed her lips against his. He didn't move, though his wide-eyed surprise was enough to make her smile. When she placed another whisper-soft kiss on his mouth she felt him lean into it, just a little, trying to follow her as she pulled away.

She kissed him again and he took a step forward, pressing against her hands and almost succeeding in stealing the kiss back a hundredfold. She knew she wouldn't be able to do it to him another time without handing the game over to him again, so she only smiled up at him. "That's why, you know," she said quietly.

He hesitated, making a visible effort to focus on her words. "Why what?" he murmured at last, clearly confused.

"Why the girl always gets the comfortable position," she told him, her heart pounding as her rational mind made a last attempt to keep her from saying what she had bitten back earlier. She was asking for it with this one, and she knew exactly how good he was. He could make her pay.

"Oh?" he asked, gazing back at her. His expression was already more clear, and she could tell he was listening to her words now, not just her voice.

Leaning close enough to whisper the way he had done earlier, she breathed in his ear, "Because guys want it more." She had a brief moment in which he was too startled to move, where she could lift both hands to his face and run her fingers through his hair unrepentantly.

Then his hands clamped down on her wrists and he warned, "Take that back."

She shook her head, making a token effort to free her hands. She failed, as she had known she would, and she grinned as his eyes glittered dangerously at her. "Make me," she challenged.

"Oh, I will," he agreed, a slow smile spreading across his face.

She was completely unprepared for him to swing her into his arms as though she weighed next to nothing and step off the edge of the rock. She shrieked, fully expecting to be immersed in water, but he only walked out onto the submerged boulder he had used as a step earlier. Just as she was coming to terms with the fact that they weren't actually in the river, they were, as he stepped off of *that* rock and the water splashed and swirled eagerly around her body.

"You--" Her exclamation was cut off as he let go of her legs and she struggled to find footing on the uneven riverbed. She felt his hands slide across her back as she fought to stand on her own, but somehow she didn't realize what he was doing until the water touched her uncovered breasts. It was a feeling like cool silk on her skin, and she inhaled sharply as his hands followed the water's path across her body.

She closed her eyes, catching his shoulders to steady herself. Then he was kissing her, the heat of his mouth a delicious counterpoint to the coolness of the water as his hands found the waistband of her shorts. She heard herself moan, felt him resist when she tried to pull him closer, his tongue tracing a line of fire across her breasts.

Almost as maddening was the feel of his hair as it fell across her skin, teasing her with every kiss until finally she buried her fingers in it to hold it back. When her hands didn't slide smoothly through his hair, though, she realized it was still dry beneath her damp fingers, and she cupped her hand in the water and let it trickle over him. The droplets beaded and spilled, fleeing through his hair as she chased them with her fingers.

He was closer than he had been before, though she wasn't sure he realized it. His hands were restless on her skin, leaving her shorts and roving across her stomach. His kiss had taken on an edge, the teasing feel slipping away as she brushed a little more water through his hair, watching distractedly as the darker streaks lost their auburn shine. She bent down to kiss them, her lips just brushing his hair.

He jerked back, startling her. "Stop it," he growled, his breathing ragged as he glared at her. His arm went around her shoulders and she felt his fingers clench in her hair, pulling her closer as he pressed his mouth to hers. There was nothing light or teasing about this kiss; it was hungry and desperate and she welcomed it.

His warmth, finally close against her skin, did nothing to soothe the fire his hands had ignited in her body. She ran her fingers across his back, leaving damp, watery trails of invisible finger-painting as their kiss deepened. She felt him shudder as a tentative breeze drifted past, turning their wet skin and hair abruptly cooler.

She laid one hand against the back of his head, smoothing his hair as she leaned into him, and his fingers tightened on her arms. "Stop it," he whispered hoarsely, kissing her without regard for his words. "I'm trying--"

Despite his protest, their mouths melded together again, and she forgot he had spoken until he managed to mumble, "Trying to prove something."

She combed her fingers through his hair, curling it around her hand as she watched his face for a reaction. "Give up," she whispered, and he stared back at her for one interminable moment.

She let her face tilt toward him until her lips only just touched his. "Give up," she murmured again, feeling his mouth under hers with each word and struggling not to act on it. But when he didn't, she couldn't keep herself from claiming his mouth with her own, forcing her tongue past his and hearing him moan at the sudden intrusion.

She thought he was unbuttoning her shorts, but she couldn't concentrate. All she could focus on was the way his lips yielded beneath hers, passively encouraging her exploration. Her shorts were sliding down her legs but she barely noticed, stepping out of them impatiently and kissing him harder.

At least, she barely noticed until his hands were everywhere her clothes had just been, and she gasped as he reminded her that the rest of her body was just as eager as her mouth. Her gasp turned into a moan as he took full advantage of her distraction, kissing her roughly as his fingers continued to stoke the fire inside of her.

She felt herself push against him, and to her surprise he slid his hands under her arms and lifted her off the ground. It was a completely unexpected reaction, but instinct made her wrap her legs around him and press her body close. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as she draped her arms over his shoulders, and she leaned forward to kiss him again.

She felt him move, stumbling toward the shore, and she was unbelievably tempted to whisper, "I win," in his ear. But if he didn't get his shorts off *soon* she was going to burn up, water or no, and he was just spiteful enough to make her wait if she teased him. He might even have that kind of control, for this was a game neither of them could truly "win".

Instead, she managed to draw just enough breath to murmur, "I love you."

Though not entirely unpleasant, she thought the sensation of water dripping off of them was one of the strangest she had ever felt--until he knelt, laying her in the sand at the edge of the river, and the shallow water washed against her bare feet and legs again. He gazed down at her, smiling slightly as he brushed a strand of damp hair away from her face. "I love you more," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her.

"Do n--" His mouth covered hers, and her back arched as his hands caressed her stomach, wandering carelessly across her skin. "Saryn," she gasped, as soon as his kiss released her.

"Mmm?" His hands slid down over her hips before moving back up, never quite reaching their destination. She closed her eyes as he bent down to kiss her again, his lips following his hands in an infuriatingly slow and unsatisfying pattern.

She arched again as his tongue caught a tiny rivulet of water on her skin, and her answer came out as a moan. "Take off your shorts." He kissed another droplet of water, tongue flicking across it, continuing his torture with a kind of lazy deliberateness. She wondered feverishly how he was so controlled all of a sudden.

He straightened slowly, disturbing the water around them. Waves lapped against her with his every movement, and she bit her lip, knowing it was no coincidence that they were where they were--half in, half out of the water. He shifted, and she suppressed another moan as the little waves flirted with her skin.

Only then did she realize he was watching her, an amused glitter in his hungry gaze. "I need you," she whispered, reaching for him even as he braced himself with one elbow and stretched out next to her.

"I win," he said simply, his fingers tickling her hand and arm. "Take it back."

She could see him tremble, and she knew it wasn't as easy as he was making it look. She was willing to bet he wouldn't be so calm if he lost the upper hand.

She felt like she was about to burst, but the promise of revenge overcame the urge to beg. Rolling onto her side, she ambushed his mouth with hers and slid her hand down his chest. She felt him stiffen in surprise, and she pushed him onto his back as she scrambled to sit up. Swinging one leg over him, she put her hands on his chest and smirked at his wild-eyed expression. "Draw," she informed him.

He nodded wordlessly, his eyes fixed on hers as she lowered herself onto him. She heard him gasp, felt heat sweep through her, and she rocked forward on her knees even as his hands found her hips and urged her back. The feeling was sweet torment, promising everything yet delivering nothing, feeding their rhythm instead of slaking it.

She could feel him writhe beneath her, his fingers clenching painfully on her skin, but the tension inside of her was the one sensation that overwhelmed everything else. It climbed with every movement, building on itself, like a wave growing higher as it rolled toward the shore until finally it crashed over her, the pressure exploding outward in every direction.

Warmth flooded into her, and as tingling pleasure coursed throughout her body she was vaguely aware of him relaxing beneath her. Sliding her hands forward, she laid her head against his chest, listening to his heart pound as his labored breathing echoed hers. The roaring in her ears faded gradually, until she could make out the rush of the river behind them again.

His chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh, and she felt his hand stroke her hair gently. "You know you're good," he whispered.

She was too warm to blush, but she couldn't suppress a contented smile. He had said that last time, too, and she found it a charming habit. "So are you," she murmured.

***

She moved a little, and he forced his eyes open as she sat up. He watched drowsily as she flowed to her feet, tilting her head back and stretching her arms up to the sky. Sand clung to her skin and lightened her dark hair just a little, and he thought he had never seen her look more beautiful.

*But then, I always think that,* he thought fondly, pushing himself up on his elbows. She was wading out into the pool, splashing water on her legs and arms to wash the sand off. He saw her lean forward, letting her hair swing over her shoulder so she could study it.

She made a face, and he sighed silently as she leaned back and let the water float her hair in all directions. She scrubbed her hands through it and then lifted her head, smoothing the water out of her hair before leaning back to rinse it again. He couldn't help running a hand through his own hair, reflecting ruefully that the sand hadn't bothered him until now.

On the other hand, he wasn't exactly averse to the idea of joining her, so he got to his feet and waded out into the river without another thought. She grinned when she saw him coming, and as soon as he got close enough she asked, "Are you coming to find my shorts?"

He gave her his most innocent look. "They're not *my* shorts!"

"You took them off," she retorted. "It's only fair!"

He felt his lips twitch, and her indignant act was spoiled by her answering smile. "You have sand in your hair."

"I'm aware of that," he agreed wryly. "Thank you."

She shrugged, but her smile persisted. "Just trying to be helpful." She glanced over her shoulder, changing topics abruptly. "You're sure Rangers are the only people who come here?"

He followed her gaze idly, unconcerned. "Yes. It is hardly convenient to the settlement; there are places much nearer that are just as attractive. The Rangers like this one for its remoteness."

"Do the others come here often?" she asked, a little apprehensively.

He chuckled. "I think they wish they could come more often, but you have no reason to worry. Raine and Azmuth are working, Kyril is away, and Mirine had other plans. We are alone here today."

She regarded him for a moment. "You know exactly where everyone is?"

He gave her a sheepish look, knowing his answer had been too quick. "I checked on their plans yesterday. I wanted to be sure we'd have time to ourselves."

She smiled slowly, not taking her eyes off of him. "That was sweet of you."

He cocked his head, pretending to consider. "Yeah, that does sound better than 'selfish'. You're welcome," he added flippantly.

She giggled, slapping the water with her palm to splash him. "Go find my shorts!"

He splashed her right back. "I wasn't the one who lost them!"

"Yes you were!" She struck the water at an angle, dragging her hand through it and sending an arching spray in his direction.

He flinched instinctively, but she ducked under the water before he could retaliate. He twisted quickly around, for Kris used to pull this trick all the time. He wasn't disappointed--she popped up in front of him, and he caught her hands before she could carry out her "surprise" attack. "And when do I get my swimming lessons?" he demanded, enjoying the startled look on her face.

She freed her hands with a quick jerk and dove into the water again, coming up just out of arms' reach. With a smirk, she told him, "After you find my shorts!"

***

The little flame flickered, leaping and settling back down again, giving up its challenge to the oncoming darkness. Instead it burned steadily, content in its own light. *A fire with nothing to prove,* she thought, amused by the idea.

"Here," Saryn said quietly, offering her a mug.

"Don't turn the stove off," she said, looking up at him.

He cocked his head at her. "No?"

She took her mug, turning her eyes back to the tiny fire. "No... leave it for just a minute?"

"As you wish," he said mildly, settling down beside her with his own mug.

She thought maybe the flame deserved some sort of tribute for its fight. Or maybe it was a tribute itself, to the fight that had finally brought them together. She supposed she owed the villains of the universe. All of them, from Dark Spectre on down, for the war they had started.

For the war, even with all its devastation, had united people and planets across the universe. Even with the horrible casualties, there had been a counterforce of joy whose effects were with them still. Andros and Ashley, Carlos and Aura. Finally, she and Saryn. They were all wonderful results of something terrible, good from evil even where evil had once come from good.

"Where are you?" Saryn murmured.

She felt his arm slide around her shoulders, and she tore her gaze away from the flame to give him a distracted smile. "What do you mean?"

"You're far away," he said softly. "I can see it in your eyes. What are you thinking about?"

She sighed, snuggling against his shoulder. "Just getting philosophical, I guess. I was thinking about the war, and all the good that came from it while we were distracted by how bad things were."

"That's always the way," he agreed, surprising her. "There's no pure evil, anymore than there's a pure goodness somewhere in the universe."

"Except for you," she murmured.

He chuckled. "I'm afraid the longer you know me, the less true that will seem. But I appreciate the thought."

She smiled at the tiny fire. "But all the things about you that aren't pure good make you better. So how does that work?"

He didn't answer right away. When he did, though, his tone was light. "Maybe some of us are perfect after all."

She giggled. "Oh, that's what it is."

"You asked," he answered, a smile in his voice.

They were quiet for a few moments, and her thoughts drifted away until she didn't bother following them. With a contented sigh, she leaned forward and blew the stove's flame out. Moving back, she nestled against Saryn's side again and waited idly for the faint purple imprint of the flame on her eyes to fade.

"Look," he whispered at last, and she lifted her head to follow where he was pointing.

She shouldn't have worried about extinguishing the flame. Sparkles glowed in the tree canopy overhead, flickering in and out as they rose and fell through the leaves. Like high-altitude fireflies, they wove a pattern of fairy light through the air.

As she stared upward she felt Saryn shift a little, turning to speak directly into her ear. "The fire never goes out," he breathed. "Remember that, Cassie."

She sighed, lowering her eyes to smile back at him. "I know."

He blinked, staring up at the domed ceiling of their tent. Sunlight streamed through the colored panels, making patterns of dappled shade on the tent's surface. Beside him, Cassie's quiet warmth was still and, to all appearances, soundly asleep. What could have woken him?

The roar of jetcycles registered a second later, and his heart sank. They had come after him. He should have told them about Cassie, but all they knew was that he had been out of touch for more than a day and that he wasn't answering his communicator. Cassie wasn't going to be happy to find out he had hidden her from them, but now there was nothing to do but hope she forgave his selfishness.

His teammates probably weren't going to be too pleased with him either, he thought, putting his hands behind his head and glancing over at her again. The whine of the engines outside fell off as the jetcycles pulled up by the riverbank, and he waited. He honestly had no idea what their reaction would be, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he found out.

He wasn't disappointed. Mere moments later he heard Mirine's voice yell, "Rise and shine, Saryn!" The tent flap was flung open, and bright blue eyes peered in at him from beneath sun-blonde hair.

He frowned at her, but her gaze had already slid across to Cassie's sleeping form. Her eyes widened, flicking back to him in sheer disbelief. He saw her lips form the word what?! with as much emphasis as she could put into the silence.

He motioned for her to leave, though he knew it was a futile request. Go away, he mouthed back.

She gave him a "yeah, right" look. She tilted her head to one side impatiently, gesturing for him to come outside.

He sighed quietly, indicating that she should give him a minute. Mirine rolled her eyes and let the tent flap fall back into place, and a moment later he heard the soft murmur of conversation pick up outside. He could make out Azmuth's distinctive tone, and then Raine's, but no male voices. If Kyril was there, he wasn't speaking.

He sat up reluctantly, reaching for his clothes. As he pulled his shorts on, though, he felt Cassie stir. He hesitated, brushing her hair gently out of her face, and her sleepy smile prompted a return smile from him. Before she could say anything, though, he murmured, "We have company."

She frowned a little, clearly trying to puzzle that out. He saw her suppress a yawn, and her voice was muffled with sleep when she asked, "What company?"

He sighed again, shooting a look at the tent flap. "My team has come to find me."

She pushed herself up on her elbows, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders. "Why? Is something wrong?"

He smiled ruefully. "Only in that I left my communicator back at the compound. They have had no way to contact me since we left."

"But you told them where you were going, right?" She sat up the rest of the way, smoothing out her "pillow" and pulling her clothes out from under it. "Would they have come after you if everything was fine?"

He didn't answer, and finally she looked up. "Saryn?"

He pulled his t-shirt on over his head, avoiding her gaze. "I didn't actually tell them anything."

"Oh, that was good," she said, her tone amused as she struggled into her clothes. "So you just vanished into the wilderness with an alien girl. No wonder they were worried."

"No," he muttered. "I didn't tell them *anything*."

There was a pause. "What do you mean?" she asked uncertainly.

"I didn't tell them about you," he confessed, wanting to get it over with. "They don't know where I've been going when I leave for Earth, and they didn't know I was bringing anyone back with me. I'm sorry."

"Do they even know I exist?" she asked softly.

He looked up, catching her eye. The hurt on her face did terrible things to his heart. "Mirine does," he said. "She... she saw me watching you on IN one night."

"Everyone watches IN." Her voice was toneless, but her eyes pleaded with him for reassurance.

He swallowed. "Not everyone cries whenever the Pink Astro Ranger looks at the camera."

Her expression softened. "Oh, Saryn..."

He sighed at the sympathy on her face. "You see, then, why I couldn't tell them? If I couldn't even look at your image over the computer link, how could I ever talk about you?"

She leaned forward, laying her fingers against his cheek. "I taped every broadcast you were on," she whispered. "I--I cried, too."

He gazed back at her, the sincerity in her dark eyes healing something in his soul. "Thank you," he whispered, not knowing how else to say it.

She breathed out in amusement, smiling a little. "Thank *you*," she murmured. "For everything."

He wanted to kiss her, wanted to feel her in his arms, but he knew the others must know they were both awake by now. Mirine would have no reservations about disturbing them again if they didn't move fast enough for her. "We should go," he said, reaching up to clasp the hand that still rested against his face.

"Wait." She squeezed his fingers, sounding more curious than anything else. "Why didn't you say anything when we started seeing each other?"

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Because I wanted you all to myself?"

She shot a wry look at him, and his grin widened. "You don't believe me, but it's the truth. I didn't want to share you with anyone else."

She laughed. "Well, even if it isn't true, it's too sweet to argue with."

He shook his head. "It's true," he muttered, pushing the tent flap back.

As he climbed outside, he heard her whisper, "Is not!"

He held out his hand to her with a grin, ignoring the array of Rangers waiting outside. "Is," he murmured as she stood up.

"Is not," she hissed, but her eyes slid past him to regard his teammates.

Mirine stared back at her, unashamedly curious. Azmuth's gaze was more mild, as she leaned back against her jetcycle and waited. Raine was lounging in the grass at her girlfriend's feet, while nearby Kyril seemed the most unconcerned of any of them. He fussed with the gears of his jetcycle, not even looking up until Saryn cleared his throat.

"Cassie," he said, squeezing her fingers. "I'd like you to meet the other Elisian Rangers. My sister Mirine, Azmuth, Raine, and Kyril."

"Nice to meet you," Raine murmured, and Kyril nodded to her.

"This is Cassie Chan," he added, pulling her a little closer to him. "She's from Earth, in the Sol system. I..." He glanced at her, saw her smile up at him, and he finished, "I've loved her for a very long time."